It is a truly unfortunate incident. And all our thoughts and prayers must go out to the families of all those affected. One can only imagine the anguish, suffering, and grief that those affected and their families have had to endure. Particularly the families of those who passed away.

But we also need to have some answers.

That we need to find out the cause of this outbreak is a given. That we need to learn from this incident so that we can prevent it from ever happening again is a given. But beyond that, this incident also begs the question that if SGH had noticed the increased in frequency as early as June, then why was it only reported now? Why was it not reported any earlier?

According to the press release by MOH, SGH had begun its internal investigations in early June and made an initial presentation to MOH by end of August. Yet, none of this was made known to the public until today, about three months after SGH first noticed the problem. Did the government force a news embargo on this incident until now? Why? Was it not important to let the public know that there are potential problems in SGH? Or were there good reasons for SGH and MOH to keep this under wraps until now?

Perhaps it was necessary to wait until the final report to be submitted to MOH before informing the public about this incident. But why? None of the mainstream media had any thing in the news about what was said in the initial presentation or in the final report. So was there really a need to wait until the final report to be submitted before allowing the news of this incident to break?

Or perhaps the government found it untimely to make any announcements any earlier? And what could the reason be for that? Was it because the government was worried that such news would affect a certain party’s performance at the General Elections held in mid-September?

SGH and MOH needs to clarify why it took so long to release news of this information. And the reasons need to be convincing. Otherwise, it will not quell speculations that the news of this incident was deliberately embargoed to serve the political needs of a certain party.

But if there are no good reasons for the news embargo, then we need to be really worried. It would be prime example of the problem of a single super-dominant party being in power. It can wield its power to cover up problems so that it can continue to rule. It can force the media to do its will and not report news that is important to the people in a timely fashion if doing so is detrimental to its own chances of continuing to be in power.

I hope that SGH, MOH and the mainstream media will give us all a convincing explanation why it took so many months before this incident was reported in the news.

4 thoughts on “Why did we not know about the Hep C outbreak earlier?”

Don’t hold your breath waiting for a reply as to why the media took this long to report this. I think at the very least, MOH should have made an announcement once the matter was brought to their attention.

SGH and MOH must address all these really relevant issues being surfaced.

Failure to do so expeditiously and conclusively jeopardises not only the reputation of a fine public service institution and the many dedicated men and women serving in SGH. It also feeds the popular conspiracy theories and the already considerable vitriol spouted by those who have labeled themselves the (bitterly and utterly despondent) 30%. (It is truly comical how this loud faction, thankfully not the majority, within GE2015 opposition supporters take every opportunity and platform to wail ceaselessly about how their considerable wisdom and vision of utopia was unexpectedly and unceremoniously cast aside by the 70%. They very obviously have no rudimentary understanding of what the process of democratic elections means or entails. Perhaps, a kinder comment could be “sour grapes” but they should keep in mind that they need not despair; in 2020 at the very latest, another opportunity will be theirs once again to do what they can with.).

Quite understandably, continued delay (or failure) by SGH or MOH to come clean and deal with all presumed missteps, will also increasingly add traction to the already firmly entrenched conclusions amongst PAP detractors that politically strategic considerations that would otherwise have surely (..??!!..) have affected the surprise outcome of GE2015. Maybe yes; maybe not. The milk is already spilled and the mindset is (apparently) already entrenched. Rightly or otherwise, this unfortunate situation is already politicised – further denial is futile.

Lay it out; come clean; let the chips fall where they may … to those amongst us who have already made up their minds, it may make little or no difference …..
BUT … to those amongst us who have chosen based on established track record and pragmatism, we are eager to see evidence of the mettle we saw in our choice.